


Afflicted

by Gooseberrybrains



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, New Orleans, RS Fireside Tales, Remus is cold, cemetery tours, haunted history, sirius is suspicious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22284595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooseberrybrains/pseuds/Gooseberrybrains
Summary: Sirius needed a change of scenery and thought that New Orleans would be the perfect place to get away. The ghost stories were fascinating until they all started to seem a little too real.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 31
Kudos: 60
Collections: RS Fireside Tales Vol.2





	Afflicted

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to my lovely beta and my very patient friends who have helped me work this out.

**Prompt:**

  
The sun was scorching and Sirius was regretting his choice to tour the graveyard today. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was nothing but concrete and stone, absorbing the sun’s rays and radiating it outward. There was no shade, aside from the occasional shadow from a mausoleum if he managed to angle himself just right. He hadn’t realized that the summers in New Orleans went well into October, and felt rather unprepared for the ninety-degree weather. He wished he had worn something other than heavy denims and a black T-shirt, not that he owned anything more appropriate. Sirius lifted the edge of his shirt to mop at the sweat dripping down his temples and squinted into the sunlight, trying to get a better look at the tour guide. There was something about him that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He was certainly attractive, but it was more than that. Sirius watched him, feeling inexplicably drawn in. He had tawny hair that was just a bit too long to be tidy, spilling down over his green eyes in curls that he repeatedly tucked behind his ears. His voice was a smooth timber that echoed around the tombs as he spoke, managing to sound casual and relaxed as well as knowledgeable. Sirius felt his heart jump in his chest every time the man let the corner of his mouth quirk up into a hint of a smile. 

Sirius shook himself, aware that he was spending more time staring at the guide than he was listening or looking around, which of course had been the whole point in coming here in the first place. He tuned back in, just in time to hear a story about how Andrew Jackson had hired a bunch of pirates to help them fight the British. He snorted. That was certainly typical of the government. Always condemning those on the outskirts of society until they were useful. It was something he was unfortunate enough to be familiar with. 

He walked among the rows of tombs, lagging behind the rest of his tour group as he examined every inscription. Sirius took pictures of the elaborate, well-kept mausoleums as well as the crumbling mounds that had been abandoned and allowed to decay as the families that cared for them either moved away or died off. He let his gaze slide over the temporary holding spaces located in the walls surrounding the graveyard, and his fingers traced the X’s carved into Marie Laveau’s tomb. During all of this, he kept stealing lingering glances back up at the tour guide, never quite managing to forget the odd pull he felt toward this stranger. 

When the tour ended, he found himself following after the guide instead of heading back toward his hotel. He was damp with sweat and desperately wanted a shower, but more than that he wanted an opportunity to talk to this man— and again he cursed himself for not catching the guide’s name at the top of the tour. 

“Excuse me,” Sirius called out to him as he jogged to catch up to the man’s quick stride. He turned and looked quizzically at Sirius, his eyebrows raised. Sirius stopped in front of him and wiped his arm across his forehead. “Damn, it’s hot out here. How are you not even sweating?” he asked in amazement, noting for the first time how perfectly composed the guy looked. 

The guide grinned, a flash of teeth. “You get used to it after a while. The heat doesn’t affect me like it used to.” He looked Sirius up and down with interest. “Did you need something?”

“Oh, um, I just wanted to say that the tour was great,” Sirius said in a rush before pausing. “What’s your name, by the way? I never did catch it.”

“It’s Remus,” he said, extending a hand. “And yours?”

“Sirius,” Sirius breathed, clasping Remus’ surprisingly cool hand in his sweaty one. He let go and wiped his hand on the leg of his jeans. “Sorry,” he said with an apologetic grin. 

Remus winked at him and continued back toward Reverend Zombie’s Voodoo Shop where the tours met. Sirius watched him go for a few paces before pulling out his phone and calling an Uber. There was no way he was walking back to the hotel in this brain-melting heat. 

  
  


~*~*~*~

  
  


The night found Sirius leaning against a brick building at the foot of Frenchman Street. The entire front of the building was bathed in red lights and neon signs glowed in the windows. He was playing with his lighter, flicking the sparkwheel over and over— sometimes letting it catch alight, but mostly just watching the sparks fly up around his thumb. His cigarette had long since burned out but there was something about the atmosphere on the streets here that made him reluctant to go back inside. He could hear the jazz music drifting out of the open front door, though his focus was mostly on his singed fingers. Sirius pushed his thumb over the sparkwheel again, this time holding down the button and watching the flame dance. 

“You’re going to burn yourself,” a low voice murmured from beside him. 

Sirius fumbled the lighter and it clattered onto the sidewalk. Remus was standing beside him, an amused smile playing on his full lips. “Holy fuck, you scared the shit out of me!” He exclaimed, stooping to snatch his lighter up and cramming it into his pocket. “Are you hovering instead of walking? I didn’t even hear you coming!”

Remus laughed and shook his head. “I know people say that New Orleans is a haunted city, but that doesn’t mean all its residents are ghosts.”

Sirius raised a curious eyebrow. “But some are?”

“Well, when you’ve lived here as long as I have, doing what I do, you learn to keep an open mind about such things,” Remus said with a shrug. He gestured to the entrance of the jazz club. “Were you going inside?”

Sirius nodded and they ducked through the threshold of the bar after agreeing to the one drink minimum rule the bouncer informed them of as they approached. The lighting was dim and it was crowded despite the early hour. There was a band playing at the front of the room, but Remus led them toward a table tucked in the back corner. 

Once they had their drinks in front of them, Remus looked at Sirius expectantly. “So, where are you from?”

Sirius laughed and took a sip of his whiskey. “It’s that obvious that I’m a tourist, huh?”

“Well, you were a part of my tour group. We don’t get many locals taking the cemetery tours. Besides, most of the people who live here aren’t _from_ here,” Remus pointed out.

“You got me there,” Sirius admitted, tightly rolling his napkin. “I guess you could say that I needed a change of scenery. I always wanted to visit New Orleans, so I’m here for a while.”

Remus furrowed his brow. “For a while? You don’t know how long you’re staying?”

“Not really,” Sirius shrugged. “And I don’t have any reason to rush back.” He took another sip of his whiskey and smoothed his napkin on the table, frowning when it curled up on its own. “Who knows, maybe I’ll decide to stay.” He smiled at Remus, then cringed inwardly as he realized how pathetic he sounded. “What about you? Are you from here?”

Remus laughed. “I’ve been here so long that this city has embedded itself into my very being. I don’t even remember what it’s like to live anywhere else, so I guess that makes me from here as much as anyone can be.”

“Huh,” Sirius said, nodding in agreement. “How did you get into the tour guide business?”

“I know a lot about history. There’s a lot of history in this city and a lot of tourists that want to hear about it. It seemed like an obvious choice. I can drone on about all the random facts I know, and people are actually interested.” Remus looked out at the crowd wistfully and then back down at his hands. “It’s nice to have the attention centered on me for a while. It’s not something I’d get otherwise.”

Sirius scoffed. “I find that very hard to believe.”

Remus met Sirius’ eyes, a sort of breathless curiosity on his face. “Really?” he asked. “Why is that?”

“You’re captivating,” Sirius answered automatically and then blushed, looking down at his crumpled napkin. 

Remus’ expression changed to one of wolfish delight. “Captivating, huh? Is that why you chased after me this afternoon?”

Remus reached out one elegant hand and drew a finger down Sirius’ forearm. His skin was cool against Sirius’ and left an almost tangible trail across his arm. He sucked in a breath and shuddered, watching the way Remus’ eyes ignited with his reaction. He felt drawn in just like he had earlier that day and found himself leaning across the small table. Remus’ lips brushed against his and Sirius startled at how icy they were. 

He pulled back in surprise. “Wow, you’re freezing!”

Remus shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. “Sorry about that. I always run cold.”

Sirius smiled apologetically. “No, I’m sorry. It just startled me.” He cleared his throat and gestured to their nearly empty glasses. “Another round?”

“Sure,” Remus agreed, signaling the waitress. “So, you don’t have anyone back at home who’s missing you?”

Sirius shook his head. “Not really. I don’t have much family and I’m not dating anyone, so it’s just my friend James and he can manage without me for a while.”

“Well, I have to admit, I’m glad to hear that you aren’t dating anyone,” Remus said with a grin. 

Sirius laughed and took a long drink from his fresh glass, trying to hide the blush spreading over his cheeks. 

When he finally met Remus’ eyes again, they were sparkling with amusement. “I’m not either— dating anyone, I mean,” he offered. “Are you free tomorrow? There are a lot of historic homes in The Garden District I could show you. It’s a beautiful spot.” 

Sirius perked up at once. “Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is there too, right? Would you be able to get us in?” 

Remus hesitated before relenting. “Sure, I have access. We can meet at the St. Charles/Canal Street station and take one of the streetcars that way, maybe around ten? Before it gets too hot out since I know you’re so delicate.” 

Sirius rolled his eyes. “I’m not delicate. You just have some sort of freakish immunity to the heat! But yes, that sounds great.” 

“Perfect. It’s a date then,” Remus declared with a grin. He tapped his phone to light up the screen and then swore. “Shit, I’m sorry, Sirius. I’ve got to run.” He stood up, already digging in his pocket for money to put down for his drinks. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He hurried out of the bar and Sirius sat there blinking in confusion for another minute after Remus had disappeared. He finished his drink and added his own money to the table before heading out the door as well. 

It was a nice night, as the heat of the day had finally subsided and his hotel was only a few blocks away. He decided to head back along the river walk and had only made it as far as the steamboat launch when his phone rang. Sirius pulled his phone from his pocket and answered it. James greeted him with his usual enthusiasm. “Hey, how’s New Orleans?”

“It’s been fascinating so far. There’s so much history here.” Sirius said with a grin. “Oh, and I met this guy— he was the guide for my cemetery tour today, actually, and I’ve just run into him again at the bar.”

“Ooh, really?” James asked with interest. “Is he hot?”

Sirius frowned in thought. “He’s certainly very attractive, but he seems to be quite cold considering how hot it is here.”

James laughed. “Maybe he’s a vampire. That would be perfect for a cemetery tour guide.”

“It was midday, James,” Sirius said rolling his eyes. 

“Well, depending on the lore, sometimes vampires can be out in the sun. It’s the other attributes that always stay the same,” James argued. 

Sirius scoffed. “What attributes?”

“You know, no bodily functions _such as body heat_ , the allure that attracts people to them, and immune to disease, etc,” James rattled off and Sirius could picture him counting it out on his fingers. 

Sirius shook his head even though he knew James couldn’t see it. “It seems rather far fetched.”

“ _Or,”_ James said with relish. “He could be a ghost. New Orleans is supposed to be super haunted right? Who better than a lone spirit doomed to wander the earth for all eternity to give haunted history tours?”

Sirius has finally reached his hotel and punched the elevator button impatiently. “Alright James, as fun as this has been, I gotta get some sleep. I’m supposed to meet up with the vampire/ghost man again tomorrow.”

“Just remember to watch your neck!” James cackled and hung up before Sirius could respond. 

Sirius shucked his clothes and crawled into bed immediately. His head was spinning, images and memories from the day flashing through his mind. It _was_ really strange that Remus was always so cold and never seemed to sweat despite the heat in this city. Still, James’ theories were ridiculous…

The following day Sirius grabbed a coffee on his way out of the hotel. He was supposed to be meeting Remus at the Canal Street streetcar stop and from there they were going to head into the Garden District. Remus promised to take him on a private tour through the neighborhood so he could admire all of the historic houses. Sirius was looking forward to it, but during the night some seeds of doubt had been weaving their vines through his head. Surely, James was spouting nonsense, but he couldn’t shake the way it all seemed to fit together. Maybe he could test the waters today— just to prove to himself that it was a stupid thing to worry about. New Orleans might be one of the most haunted cities in the country, but as far as Sirius knew ghosts couldn’t pass as living people. Unless Remus was actually a vampire? Had he even seen him eat any real food? He didn’t think so, but that was easy to fix. They could get lunch today while they were out, and besides, he was being silly. He could believe that ghosts were wandering the old streets, but vampires? He had been reading too many stories lately, that was all. 

It didn’t take Sirius long to reach the streetcar stop and he took in the cables that ran above the roads as he waited for Remus to arrive. He was engrossed in people watching when there was a tap on his shoulder and he jumped in surprise. He spun around, coming face to face with Remus who was watching him with amused eyes and a smile playing on his lips. 

“Do you always startle so easily?” Remus asked with a laugh.

Sirius wrinkled his nose. “I do not startle easily. You’re just too damn quiet.”

“Whatever you say. You ready to go?” Remus asked, gesturing to the streetcar that had just stopped in front of the station.

It was nearly twenty stops to get to the area of the Garden District that held the cemetery, and they spent the time talking. Sirius was very tempted to ask Remus why he had to run off so abruptly the night before but he held back the question knowing that it was none of his business. He was also distracted by speculating about the stuff James had said and wondered if there was any subtle way for him to ask. Sirius didn’t do subtle well, and he didn’t want Remus to think he was crazy so he resolved to just observe for the time being. 

The first place Remus led Sirius to was the Ann Rice House. They couldn’t go on the property as it was privately owned by someone other than Ann Rice now but it was still a beautiful house and interesting to see. Sirius also couldn’t help but wonder if there was a deeper meaning to Remus taking him here. Was it a hint? Did vampires even _like_ Ann Rice? 

“Do you read vampire books?” Sirius asked curiously. 

Remus shook his head, laughing. “They're always a bit too far fetched for me, not realistic in the slightest.”

“Well, I assume that’s why they’re considered fantasy novels,” Sirius pointed out.

Remus shrugged. “Sure, but do they have to make the vampires always seem so ridiculous? Like for once couldn’t a vampire just be a regular guy that just also happened to drink blood?

Sirius forced a laugh and turned his face away as they walked so Remus wouldn’t see the alarmed expression on his face. He spotted a small book store and leapt at the distraction.

“Let’s go inside,” he said, pointing. “I bet they have a lot of cool historic New Orleans books in there.”

“Probably a fair amount of Ann Rice novels too, considering the location,” Remus said as they walked through the door, a bell jingling overhead.

The bookstore was packed full of shelves overflowing with books and there was indeed a shelf dedicated to Ann Rice. Sirius looked it over with mild interest before his eyes fell upon a haunted New Orleans display. He moved quickly over to it and immediately was absorbed into the stories of hauntings and historic ghosts that were thought to remain behind. There was one book in particular that had caught his attention. It was a thick book filled with old black and white photos of the city and its residents titled _The Legend of Vampires in the City of New Orleans._ Sirius began flipping through the book, skimming through the parts about Ann Rice’s influence until he reached a chapter about The Casket Girls. He stopped to read about the speculation around their arrival in the 1700s when his gaze fell on a picture on the opposite page. It was black and white, as all the photographs in the book were, and it featured several men and women in the typical period dress of the late 1800s. Sirius felt his heart drop into his stomach as he looked at it. One man stood out among the crowd in that picture. A man who looked just like Remus— only his hair and clothes seemed to have changed. He closed his eyes for a moment, hoping to see something else when he opened them again. It made no difference, Remus was still looking back at him from the page. 

“Find anything interesting?”

Sirius jumped at the sound of Remus’ voice over his shoulder and he slammed the book shut, dropping it back to the table. “Not really. Just the usual ghost stories, you know.” He turned around and Remus was watching him with raised brows. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Everything’s good,” Sirius answered hurriedly. 

“Alright then,” Remus said skeptically. “Did you want to head over to the cemetery now?”

Sirius took a deep breath and nodded his head. “Yeah, let’s go.”

It was only three blocks to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 from the bookstore so it was a short walk. Sirius spent the entirety of it trying to convince himself that he was being ridiculous. The man in that book couldn’t actually be Remus. He probably just looked like him and Sirius was letting his imagination do the rest. He needed to calm down, and— as a small voice at the back of his mind pointed out— it was better to act normal because if Remus _was_ a vampire then it wouldn’t do to let him know that Sirius was on to him. He just had to focus on the cemetery. There would be plenty to look at in there. 

If Remus did suspect something was going on with Sirius, he remained silent on the topic. In fact, he continued to talk normally to Sirius about the history of this particular cemetery and how it was involved in the filming of _Interview with a Vampire._

By the time they arrived at the gates and Remus worked his magic to get them inside without an official tour, Sirius had been pulled out of his own mind and into the stories Remus was weaving for long enough to forget his earlier trepidation. At this point, he was sure that he had exaggerated the similarities between the photograph and real-life Remus. And really, it was all James’ fault for putting the idea in his head last night. 

Inside Lafayette, it looked much the same as St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, but with a bit more grass. There were still white-washed tombs lined up in rows like morbid little houses and larger monuments dedicated to soldiers who had fought in the wars. There were crumbling, neglected structures and elaborate, well taken care of constructions. There were also a few small platforms with no mausoleums on top of them. Instead, they were each crowned with a plain engraved headstone. They were nothing to look at, but simply stood out because they were so different from everything else around. Because of this, Sirius’ attention was drawn to them. He stepped closer, wanting to read the inscriptions and his blood seemed to freeze in his veins. One of the headstones was badly worn and he couldn’t make out the last name but the first was clearly _Remus._ It wasn’t a common name. He had never once heard it in his life before two days ago. What were the chances that it belonged to some other guy named Remus? Sirius stumbled backward in horror, bumping into the very person clouding his thoughts. 

“Sirius? Are you alright?” Remus grasped his wrists in his cold, cold hands. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Sirius yelped and jerked his arms out of Remus’ hold. “Maybe I have. Or a fucking vampire. I don’t know, but James was right.” He sidestepped Remus and took off running, never once stopping to look back and therefore missing the befuddled look on his face. 

  
  


~*~*~*~

Remus answered the knock on his apartment door feeling perplexed. He never had visitors this early, especially not on the weekends. He was even more surprised when he saw who was standing on the other side. There were two men in suits standing on his doorstep. 

The older, more grizzled looking one held up a badge. “Are you Remus Lupin?” he asked. 

“Uh, yes,” Remus answered hesitantly, wondering just what he could have done to bring the police to his home. 

“I’m Detective Alastor Moody and this is my partner, Detective Kingsley Shaklebolt,” he said, pointing to the tall dark-skinned man standing beside him. “We’d like to ask you some questions about a man that was in one of your tour groups recently. May we come in?”

Remus’ eyebrows raised up to his hairline but he gestured them inside and closed the door. “Can I get you two anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“That’s quite alright, Mr. Lupin. We don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Detective Moody said. He reached into the interior pocket of his jacket and withdrew a photo, holding it out to Remus. “Do you recognize this man?”

Remus took the picture from Moody and felt as if the ground dropped out from under him. He looked up to meet Moody’s serious gaze and handed back the photo. He cleared his throat nervously. “This is Sirius. He was a part of my midday tour two days ago and I met up with him the following day. Is he in trouble?”

The detective tucked the picture back inside his jacket while his partner scribbled notes into a book he had pulled from his pocket. “Mr. Black escaped from a mental health facility almost a month ago. We believe that he is more a danger to himself than others, but regardless we would like to bring him in.”

Remus felt his jaw drop in shock. “Are you telling me he’s an escaped mental patient?”

Moody nodded. “Did he give you any way to contact him? Or any indication of where he might be headed?”

Remus shook his head slowly. “No, he started acting rather strangely about halfway through the day and then took off on me after muttering some stuff about ghosts and vampires.” He shrugged. “It’s fitting now that I know the truth, I suppose. But we never exchanged numbers and though he had indicated that he was planning to spend some time in the city, I don’t even know what hotel he was booked in.”

“I appreciate your time, Mr. Lupin,” Moody said, handing Remus his card. “If you think of anything else or if you see Black again, please call me.”

“Of course,” Remus agreed. He followed the detectives to the door and the moment it closed behind them, he hurried to his computer and pulled up a search browser. He clicked on the first news article that popped up. “Holy shit,” he breathed as he scanned the page. 

**_Tragedy in Godric’s Hollow_ **

_The small town of Godric’s Hollow is still reeling from the horrific events that occurred last week. Peter Pettigrew, 22, was driving a vehicle while intoxicated last Saturday night. James Potter, 23, was ejected from the car and killed upon impact. Authorities don’t believe he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The other passenger, Sirius Black, 23, suffered severe head trauma and while the treating physicians won’t comment on his condition, sources say that he isn’t expected to regain normal mental function. Pettigrew was treated for minor injuries and is being held at the ACI pending his trial for manslaughter._

Remus closed out of the article and clicked on the more recently dated one below it. 

**_Authorities Looking for Azkaban Escapee_ **

_Sirius Black, 28, somehow managed to escape the confines of Azkaban Mental Health Facility on Friday night. Police have been searching for him since, speculating that he couldn’t have gotten far. “He is delusional and prone to frequent hallucinations due to the brain injuries he suffered five years ago,” says Dr. Dumbledore who is in charge of Black’s treatment at the facility. While he is not likely a danger to anyone except himself, the authorities are advising the public not to approach him. Instead, please call 911 with his location._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
